Chapter 83: Whispers of a Secret Affair
Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Whispers of a Secret Affair
Lu Xiu’s eyes darkened. He quickly scanned their surroundings, and in an instant, yanked the person who had fallen back to her feet, pressing her back against the wall.
Liang Wan and Lu Xiu shared a look of understanding, silencing themselves and holding their breath.
Lou Xu Ru’s status was unique. If she were the wife of an ordinary official, Gao Qian could have taken her as he pleased. But she was not only a new widow still in mourning, but also Wang Su’s daughter-in-law. If he were to bring her into the harem now, those with ulterior motives would surely exploit the situation, raising questions about the deaths of Wang Su and Wang Yansheng.
Moreover, the Empress Dowager was also involved.
Gao Qian was a deeply suspicious man. If he discovered that they had stumbled upon his affair, the consequences would be far worse than merely losing their lives.
Their passion was suddenly interrupted, which rather spoiled the mood. Lou Xu Ru’s delicate voice trembled as she complained, "Aqian, don’t be so paranoid. I already told the servants to take their afternoon naps. No one is allowed to disturb us!"
Then she sighed. "If you don’t want to sneak around like this, then just bring me into the palace sooner. Wouldn’t it be better if we could be together every day?"
’When I came in just now, I thought I heard something,’ Gao Qian thought, distracted, his gaze fixed on the window. ’It felt like something was out there...’
Lou Xu Ru’s heart was filled with grievance. "Think about it! If it wasn’t to help you secure the throne, why would Aunt and Mother have married me off to that dull, crude, and uninteresting block of wood? Now he’s finally dead, and I’ve finally waited out the storm—"
Gao Qian paid her no mind. He frowned, scooped up his fallen robes, and draped them over his shoulders, preparing to get out of bed.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Lou Xu Ru grabbed him, deeply displeased. "Are you even listening to me?"
Gao Qian’s expression soured. "Didn’t we agree to wait a bit longer?" he said dismissively.
"Wait?"
Lou Xu Ru’s expression changed as well. She held him fast, grabbing his hand and pressing it to her lower abdomen. "I can wait, but can *he*?"
Only then did Gao Qian pull his gaze away from the window, looking down at her skin, slick from their lovemaking. "What did you say?"
"I said, I’m pregnant."
Tears welled in the watery eyes on Lou Xu Ru’s rosy face. Though no longer a young maiden, she was a woman of captivating beauty.
"It happened after we were together last time. It’s been almost two months. I’ve been wanting to tell you in person, but I never imagined that when we finally got to meet, before I could even say a word, I’d find out *she’s* pregnant again!"
Kneeling by the bed, Lou Xu Ru wrapped her arms around his neck. "Aqian, you can’t play favorites. Her child is a Prince, so won’t mine be one too?"
Gao Qian looked down at the woman climbing onto him. He wrapped his arms around her bewitching waist and gently caressed her face, his touch full of deep, sweet affection.
"Cousin, in my heart, you are different from the others."
Gao Qian rarely spoke words of affection. Even in the heat of passion, not a single sweet nothing could be coaxed from him. But now, knowing she was pregnant, he was doting on her this way. Her heart instantly felt as if it were soaked in honey, overcome with sweetness.
"Really?"
"Of course!"
Lou Xu Ru smiled through her tears. She knew this much was true; on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, she and Gao Qian had shared their first taste of passion.
"Then, Aqian, you must give our child a proper title."
"Alright."
Their affections lingered, a portrait of tender, enviable love.
Amid their tender caresses, something suddenly coiled around her neck. It pulled tight, and she could barely breathe.
Lou Xu Ru struggled violently, desperately trying to rip the silk fabric from her throat.
Her eyes bulged as she stared at the devastatingly handsome man before her, her voice a strangled, disbelieving gasp. "Aqian."
She clawed at his hands, her bare, jade-like legs kicking wildly...
Gao Qian leaned close to her ear, his whisper as light as a feather. "Her child may or may not be a Prince, but yours is sure to be the spawn of a traitor."
Her eyes bulged as she struggled, then her body slowly went limp, until she moved no more.
Only then did Gao Qian release his grip. He stood and cast a cold glance at the lifeless form on the bed before pulling away the Dragon Robe he had used to strangle her.
Liang Wan leaned against a large boulder, her mind reeling. She never imagined that Gao Qian would actually kill Lou Xu Ru.
’With Lou Xu Ru dead, things are going to get much more complicated...’
’If we’re questioned later and I can’t explain my whereabouts, I’m afraid both Lu Xiu and I will be unable to escape Gao Qian’s suspicion—’
"I—"
The moment Liang Wan opened her mouth, Lu Xiu clamped a hand over it. He spun around, pulling her with him into the cover of a rockery.
Before she could react, Lu Xiu had stripped off his outer robe, wrapped it around her, and pulled her into his arms. Then, the full weight of his body pressed down on her.
Liang Wan’s back slammed against the hard stone. The sudden impact sent a jolt of unbearable pain through her back and shoulders.
Liang Wan cried out in pain. She looked up, glaring fiercely at the one responsible.
But what she saw was a pair of eyes as black as ink, their gaze as soft as autumn waters, yet holding a hint of gentleness and embarrassment.
Liang Wan was stunned.
In the cramped space, their bodies were pressed tightly together. He could clearly feel the warm, jade-soft body beneath him. Their warm breaths mingled, their gazes met, and for a strange moment, his spirit wavered. His body stiffened. He turned his face away, hastily averting his eyes, his flustered expression showing a hint of helplessness.
Liang Wan’s scalp tingled. With wide eyes, she let out a low cry and desperately tried to push him off.
But he only tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer.
"Lu Xiu!" she hissed through gritted teeth.
The man holding her was clearly taken aback, surprised that she would so brazenly disregard his status and use his name directly.
Liang Wan was past caring about such formalities.
As they struggled, a wave of heat brushed past her ear, and goosebumps erupted all over her skin.
She heard his voice, a strange mix of coaxing and annoyance. "Don’t move. Just bear with it."
Just as she froze in a daze, a soft chuckle echoed from nearby.
"My, my. To think I’d disturb our Grand Commandant’s secret rendezvous. A transgression on my part, truly!"
Gao Qian!
Liang Wan’s body went rigid. She couldn’t move.
"Your Majesty." Lu Xiu shifted his body to shield the woman beneath him, his voice tight with shame and unease.
’An uncle caught in such a compromising position by his own nephew,’ Liang Wan thought. ’He certainly has reason to be ashamed.’
Gao Qian tilted his head, glancing at the woman. Pinned against the rock by Lu Xiu, her body trembled faintly. Her face was obscured from view, but her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
’So it’s not that he’s immune to female charms,’ Gao Qian mused. ’He just hides it well...’
Gao Qian pulled back his gaze, a thoughtful look on his face. He gave Lu Xiu a meaningful smile. "Grand Commandant, please, continue!"
With that, he pulled back and ambled slowly toward the Flower Garden.
Among the rocks, the two remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Only when the faint footsteps had completely faded away did Lu Xiu finally let go. With his eyes downcast, he turned and stepped out from their hiding spot.
Liang Wan took a moment to compose herself before sitting up on the boulder, still wrapped in Lu Xiu’s robe.
’A moment ago, I was worried about not having an alibi, and now I have one,’ she thought. ’But to be misunderstood by Gao Qian like this... to save our lives, have we just branded ourselves a pair of shameless degenerates?’
A sharp pain throbbed in Liang Wan’s shoulder. She carefully hopped down from the rock and, holding Lu Xiu’s robe, walked out from behind the rockery.
The moment she stepped out, she saw Lu Xiu standing with his back to her. Her gaze fell to the robe in her hands; the light-colored fabric was clearly stained with dust and dirt from the rockery. In contrast, her own clothes were spotless.
"Your proposal for the Empress to leave the palace... you had an ulterior motive all along!"
Lu Xiu turned around, his eyes filled with a chilling cold.